According to GasBuddy.com, Michigan’s average gasoline price jumped 15 cents yesterday. Dana Johnson is the chief economist with Comerica Bank. His recent most recent gauge of Michigan’s economic strength shows a third monthly decline. But Johnson says rising gasoline prices shouldn’t be too big a drag on the state’s economy.

"It would definitely act, in effect, like a tax that most people couldn’t avoid who pretty much need a certain amount of gasoline to live their lives. But it’s not of a magnitude that would untrack the expansion. It would just make it a little less vigorous.”

Johnson says rising gasoline prices will not send the state back into a recession.